It was analysed and found to have viewed 448 indecent images of a child at level one – the least serious on the scale. There were also 29 at level two; 81 at level three; 86 at level four; and three at level five – the most serious.

Miss Wallbanks said: "Internet searches had taken place by the defendant for 'tiny models', 'underage teens', and 'underage rape'.

In his police interview, Gibson said he was looking for cars. He said he would get 'pop-ups' on his computer and 'they were getting younger and younger'.

But Gibson, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty on the day of his trial last month to five charges of making indecent photographs of children between November 13, 2012 and January 8, 2013.

Anthony Longworth, mitigating, said Gibson bought a second-hand computer which had a virus on it which meant innocent searches could lead him to pornographic sites.

But he conceded Gibson made deliberate searches for pornographic images of children, saying the grandfather-of-four succumbed to temptation.

Mr Longworth said: "This is not a man who previously had a consciousness of a sexual interest in children. He was presented with the temptation.

"It was for a relatively brief period of just over a month.

"What became impulsive was also something which he was disgusted and ashamed of."

The court heard Gibson and his family have found his offending difficult to accept.

Mr Longworth added: "These offences are entirely foreign to their knowledge of the defendant as a person."

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Gibson to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, with two years' supervision and a six-month electronically-monitored curfew from 7pm to 7am.

Gibson will also be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order.

Judge Fletcher said: "These were images of real children. They were mercilessly exploited so people can look at the images."